Apparatus for and method of making wrappers with opening tapes



Dec. 9, 1941. J MILMOE E AL 2,265,609

APPARATUS FOR AND METHOD OF MAKING WRAPPERS WITH OPENING TAPES 4 Shets-Sheet 1 Filed March 23, 1938 INVENTOILS Michael J. Milmoa and 73 ELmer: D. sr-amek BY:. @{M

' ATTORNEYS.

D 1 M. J. MILMOE ETAL 2,265,609

APPkRATUS FOR AND METHOD OF MAKING WRAPPERS WITH OPENING TAPES Filed March 23, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 o 53 Ill um a1 25 a 3 as 29 I 24 r 62. 55 b ML h LJ r I L d C Ge who! H 315 4=. BY ELmer- D- Sy-amek v A TTORNEYS.

1941- M. J. MlLMOE ETAL 2,265,509

APPARATUS FOR AND METHOD OF MAKING WRAPPERS WITH OPENING TAPES Filed March 23, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet s IE1E 5 INVENTOR- M1chcaeLJ.MiLm and Lmer D. Sr'am ATTORNEYS.

. 9, 1941. M. J. MILMOE EI'AL 2,255,609

APPARATUS FOR AND METHOD OF MAKING WRAPPERS WITH OPENING TAPES Filed March 23, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVEVTORS Mmchael J.Mil.moe and Elmer- D. Sr-amlk ATTORNEYS.

Patented Dec. 9, 1941 APPARATUS FOR AND METHOD OF MAKING WRAPPERS WITH OPENING TAPES Michael -J. Milmoe, Glen Ellyn,

Sramek, Cicero, Ill., assignors to F. B.

ton Co, Chicago, 111.,

22 Claims.

This invention relates to an apparatus for and method of making wrappers having an opening tape fastened thereto, the edge of the tape projecting a predetermined distance beyond the edge of the wrapper so as to provide a tab so that the wrapper may be easily removed from the packaged article.

An important object of the invention is the provision of an apparatus for applying an opening tape to a wrapper, the tape being fastened to the wrapper at intervals and bowed or looped away from the wrapper at predetermined areas between such intervals, and means for slitting the wrapper and cutting the wrapper and tape at predetermined positions with respect to the loop so that the tape will extend a predetermined distance beyond the edge of the wrapper at the cut wrapper edge to provide a handy opening tab.

Another object of the invention is to provide opening tape fastened thereto, the wrapper being cut from a continuously running web, and the tape being applied to the wrapper also from a continuously moving web, there being means provided for applying the tape to the wrapper but leaving unfastened looped portions; cutting and slitting means are also provided to cut the wrapper and tape at the proper intervals at the loopall in a continuous operation of the apparatus. I

A further object of the invention is the provision of a method for making'wrappers having an opening tape extending from an edge of the wrapper, the material from which the wrapper is made and the material from which the tape is made being fed continuously through a machine, the tape being looped and unfastened at predetermined intervals so as to provide the feeding of more tape than wrapper, and then cutting the wrapper and tape at a predetermined time and position whereby-there will be provided an opening tape portion extending beyond the edge of the wrapper. 4

A still further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for feeding the wrapping material at a predetermined rate, for fastening the tape to the wrapper, and for cutting and slitting the wrapper so as to provide a wrapper and an opening tape whereby the wrapper may be readily opened or removed from a package.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of elements synchronously operating in timed relation whereby the various steps of the method may be carried out, the parts being rela.

and Elmer D.

Railinga corporation of Illinois Application March 23, 1938, Serial No. 197,700

an apparatus for making wrappers having an tively simple in construction and operating in an efficient manner.

Numerous other obiccts and advantages will be apparent throughout the progress of the following specification.

The accompanying drawings illustrate a selected embodiment of the invention and the views therein are as follows: a

Fig. 1 is a detail view of the improved apparatus and-embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a detail view looking in the direction of the arrows 2-2 of Fig. '7 and showing some of the operating mechanism;

Fig. 3-is a detail plan view of the apparatus;

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view on the line 44 of Fi 3;

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3, showing the parts in one position;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, parts in another position;

Fig. 7 is a detail elevational view showing some of the operating mechanism;

Fig. 8 is a detail view of a sheet showing the showing the tab applied thereto prior to cutting the individual wrappers therefrom;

Fig. 9 is a detail plan view-of a completed wrapper and its co-operating tape including the tab; and

Fig. 10 is a detail perspective view of a package wrapped in the improved wrapper.

The particular apparatus herein shown for thev purpose of illustrating the inventionandfor the purpose of carrying out the present new method comprises a frame I mounted on a suitable support or base and supports a roll 2 of wrapping material, such as Cellophane. The web 3 of material from the roll 2 passes about an idler roller 4 which is revolubly mounted on a shaft 5 carried by a part of the frame. A bracket 6, operatively fixed to the shaft 5, carries a feed roller 1, there being a free or movable connection between the bracket 6 and the feed roller I. A spring 8 co-operates with the bracket 8 and the supporting structure 9 of the feed roll 1 to resiliently urge the feed roller 1 against the periphery of a roll or drum It). The roller drum in is revolubly mounted on a shaft or axle ll operatively mounted in the frame and is driven by gearing which will be later described.

ing any well known heating and ironing arrangement, such as a block including an electrical heating element IS. The tape l2 passes about an idler roller I6, Fig. 1, andthen over another idler roller l1 where it is fed to position to be operated meshes with and is driven by the lacer gear 2| (Fig. 2'), and therefore the roll I 8 will operate I synchronously with the lacer Hi. The roll l0 and lacer I 8 being properly geared and synchronized, cause a bifurcated end 22 of the lacer element I8 to flt into a groove 23 during rotation of the drum Ill. The lacer element is positioned so as to contact and engage the tape l2 as the tape l2 passes over a groove or recess 23, thereby forcing the tape l2 into a groove 23 as clearly shown in Fig. 6. The drum I0 is provided with a plurality of recesses 25 cooperating with the grooves or recesses 23. Plungers 26 are arranged in the openings 25, Fig. 4, and are moved into position with respect to a groove 23 by a cam member 21,

there being one plunger cooperating with each groove 23; A spring 28 is arranged about the stem 29 of the plunger and engages a part of the housing 39 and a shoulder 3| on the plunger to urge the plunger out of a groove 23 toward the Ieft, Fig. 4 (see the bottom portion of Fig. 4). The cam member 21 is in the form shown in Fig. 4having a high surface 32 and a low surface 33.

Thus, when the lowportion 33 is in predeter-.

mined position, the spring 28 will urge the plunger 36 to the left and move the plunger stem 29 out of a groove 23 as shown in the lower part of Fig. 4. When, however, the high part of the cam is in a predetermined position with respect to the plunger 26, the plunger will be urged against the tension of the spring and moved to the right, Fig. 4, to the position shown in the upper part of that figure. The parts are soqcorrelated and synchronized that when the tape approaches thelacer mechanism [8, the

lacer mechanism will push or force the tape down into a groove .23 and, therefore, cause a a loop or bend 34-to be formed, Fig. 6. As the roll or drum .l8 and the lacer mechanism continue their operation, the bifurcated end 22 will move out of a recess 23 when the high part of the cam 21 will, come into position and force a plunger into a groove 23 above the loop 34 and thereby maintain, such loop. in looped position as indicated at 35. The feeding or the tape continues and each timea groove 23 is in position, the lacer will force the tape into a groove 23 when a plunger will operate to maintain the tape in such looped position. The tape then is fed onwardly to a glue roller 36. The glue roller 36 is mounted on ashaft 31 and is rotated by the shaft 31. The shaft 31 carries a gear 38 which meshes with and is driven by a gear 39 fastened to the drum 'Ill. The glue roller 36 will, therefore, apply glue at all portions of the tape I2 except that portion of the tape which is forced down into a recess. In other words, all the tape will be glued'except the looped portion 35. a

The glue roller 36 is positioned over a container 40 which has a division wall 4! to provide compartments 42 and 43. The compartment 43 contains an adhesive, such as a glue, or a solvent, such as Cellu-solve, into which a wick 45 is arranged. The wick 45 extends through the division wall 4| and engages the periphery of the glue roller 36 as indicated at 46, Figs. 5 and 6. The glue container is mounted for pivotal .movement about shaft 48 suitably supported by .36 as to maintain the proper spacing between the glue roller and the drum ID to permit the roller to lightly contact the tape.-

After the proper amount of adhesive material is applied to the tape l2, the tape continues to be fed about the periphery of the drum and under the wrapping material 3 as clearly shown in Figs. 5 and 6, whereby the tape l2 will become securely fastened to the wrapper material 3, The wrapping material with the applied tape. therefore continues to be fed about the periphery of the drum l0 and is engaged by a heater block 49., The heater block 49 is curved, as clearly shown in Fig. 5, to conform with the periphery of the drum II) as indicated at 50. This heater block 49 presses the web of wrapping material and the web of tape together and causes the tape to become firmly bondedto the web. The heater block is carried by an arm 5| pivotally mounted upon a stud 58 carried by the frame or supporting structure I. To properly space the heater block with respect to the'drum l0, an-adjustment mechanism 52, Fig. l, is provided. This adjustment mechanism may be adjusted so as to provide a suffiolent pressure of the heater block, due to its weight, against the tape and web to make a firm bond between the parts, but the adjustment will prevent contact of the heater block against the drum should the web and tape not be present. This heater block is heated in any desirable manner such as by an electric heating element indicated by the numeral 53, Fig. 7.

A link 54, Fig. 1, is fastened to the arm or heater blo'ckextension 5| and is fastened to the machine control handle (not shown) whereby the heater block will be pulled awayfrom the periphery of the roll when the machine is not operating and thereby alleviate any damage occurringto the wrapper and applied tape when the machine is stopped. During normal operaheld therein by the stem ti'on of the machine the heater block will be in close proximity to the periphery of the drum III as clearly shown in Fig. 5, but when the control handle is operated to cease operation of the machine, the heater block 49 will be pulled away from the periphery of the drum l0,'as clearly shown in Fig. 6. A feed roll 55, Fig. l, is urged toward the periphery of the drum ill by a spring 56. .The feed roll is mounted on supporting mechanism 51 which is pivoted to thestud 58 supported in the frame I. The feed roll 55 enages the wrapper and feeds the wrapper to the cutting mechanism 59. The heater block 49, of course, will not engage the loop 25 becausethe loop 25 is still maintained in'a recess 23, being 29 of a plunger 26.

However, once the web with the applied tape moves away from the feed roller 55 to feed the web and tape to the cutters 59, the low spot of the cam will have moved away to permit a spring 28 to urge the plunger out of tape holding position and therefore the tape and web will be free from the roll as clearly shown in Fig. 5, the plunger 29 merely holding the tape in looped formation from the first position where the lacer urges the tape into looped position until the web and attached tape have passed the feed roll 55.

The feed roll 55 is also provided with sharp edges or blades 69 to cut slits Si in the wrapper on each side of the tape l2 as clearly shown in Fig. 8, the blades 59 being received in peripheral grooves 62 formed in the body of the drum I, Fig. 4.

The feed roller 55 is mounted on a shaft 63 and is driven by a gear 64, Fig. 3, fixed on the shaft 63 and meshing with the gear 39 fixed to the drum Ill.

The web'3, with the tape I2 applied thereto, the tape being provided with the alternate loops 35, passes through the cutting mechanism 59 to be out along a line 65. The cut 65 occurs entirely across the web 3 at an edge where the loop begins, but slightly into the loop where no adhesive bond exists between the tape and the web, as indicated in Fig. 8. Therefore, when the web is cut along the line 65, a sheet of wrapping material 66, Fig. 9, is formed, the wrapping material including the handy opening tape with a handy opening tab 61 extending beyond the edge 65 thereof. The tab 51 is the excess of tape l2 from which the loop was formed. In other words, when the web is out along the line 65 and the loop 35 is straightened out, it will provide an overhang which is the tab 61. The slits 6| on each side of the tape at the tab 6'! permit the Cellophane wrapper to be easily torn away. Therefore, when an article is packaged in the wrapper 86 in the form shown in Fig. 10, the wrapper can be very easily removed by pulling and unwinding on the tab 61, thereby causing the wrapper to be torn away-to permit ready and easy access to the article in the wrapper.

The cutting mechanism 59 comprises a pair of cutters B8 and 69 having cutting knives or blades 10 and II respectively. The cutters 68 and 69 are mounted on shafts l2 and I3 revolubly supported on the frame I. The shaft 13 is the main drive shaft and carries a gear 14 which drives the gear 15 on the other cutter roll shaft 12, Fig. 2. The shaft 13 also carries another gear 16 which drives an idler gear .11, Figs. 2 and 3.

The idler shaft gear 11 meshes with and drives another gear 18 which is mounted. on the shaft '20 and therefore drives the lacer gear 2|.

lacer gear 2| drives the drum Ill by means of the gear! fixed to the drum by bolts BI and 82. The bolts al'so fix the gear 39 to the gear 24 and the drum so that gear 39 will be rotated therewith,the gears 24 and 39 and the drum l9 thus constituting 'a unitary assembly mounted for pivotal movement on shaft II. The gear 39 operates gears 38 and 64 mounted on the shafts 31 and 63 respectively. The gear 39 also drives a gear I9 on the shaft 89 which carries the feed roll 1, Figs. ,1 and 2. The shaft I3 being the main drive shaft, may be driven in any conventional manner such as a belt driven from a motor or it may constitute the motor drive shaft.

The invention therefore comprises mechanism for continuously feeding a sheet or web of Cellophane material. 'A continuously moving tape is The applied to the moving web, but part of the tape is not adhesively secured to the web as the tape is looped at predetermined definite intervals so that when the cutting knives operate, the web will be cut at a predetermined point so as to make individual wrappers having overhanging opening tabs. Cutter or slitting blades are also operated in timed relationship with the other parts so that slits are provided on each side of the tape at a point where the web is to' be cut so as to permit easy opening of a package. All the parts are constructed and arranged to operate in timed relationship and synchronously with'each other so that the proper operation is performed at the precise timed interval. The invention provides not only the mechanism for making the complete wrapper, but includes the steps of the method in which the completed wrapper is made.

Changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages, and the right is hereby reserved to make all such changes as fairly fall within the scope of the following claims.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. An apparatus for making a wrapper having an opening tape attached theretowith a portion of the tape extending beyond an edge of the wrapper to provide an opening tab, comprising means for feeding a web of wrapping material and a web of tape material, means for forming loops. in the tape material, means for adhering the tape material between the loops to the web of wrapping material, and means for cutting the tape and wrapping materials at a juncture of each loop in the tape with the wrapp material.

2. An apparatus for making a wrapper having an opening tape attached thereto with a portion of the tape extending beyond an edge of the wrapper to provide an opening tab, comprising means for feeding a web of wrapping material and a web of tape material, means for forming loops in the tape material, means for adhering the tape material between the loops to the web of wrapping material, means for forming a slit in the wrapping material longitudinally thereof at predetermined spaced intervals on one side of. the tape material, and means for cutting said webs simultaneously. I

3. An apparatus for making a wrapper-having an opening tape attached thereto with a portion of the tape extending beyond an edge of the wrapper to provide an opening tab, comprising means for feeding a web of wrapping material and a web of tape material, means for forming loops in. the tape material, means for adhering the tape material between the loops to the web of wrapping material, slitting means for cutting slits longitudinally in the wrapping material at predetermined spaced intervals on each side of the tape material adjacent certain ends of the loops, and means for severing a part of the web material at a said certain loop end to provide a wrapper.

4. An apparatus for making a wrapper having an opening tape attached thereto with a portion of the tape extending beyond an edge of the wrapper to provide an opening tab, comprising means for feeding a web of wrapping material and a web of tape material, means for forming loops in the tape material, means for applying an adhesive to the tape between loops to adhere the tape to the web of wrapping material, a heated shoe for contacting one of the webs to insure the adhesive bond between the tape and .web of wrapping material, and means for cutting plying thetape to a web of wrapping material,

means for releasing the loop maintaining means and thereby freeing the tape, means for slitting the web on each side of the tape prior to the operation of the releasing means, and means for cutting the web and tape after the operation of strip on the drum, means for maintaining the strip in looped condition on the drum, means for feeding a web of wrapping material onto the drum in superimposed relation to the strip, means for adhering the portions of the strip between the loops to the Web of wrapping material, and means for severing the strip and web along spaced lines extending through the loops in the strip so that portions of the strip forming the loops thereafter extend beyond the edges of the cut wrap.- pers to provide the extending tabs. v

10. An apparatus for making wrappers having an opening strip forming an extending tab, comprising a rotary drum, means for feeding the strip upon said drum, means operatively associated with the drum and synchronized with the rotation of the drum for forming loops in the strip on the drum, means for maintaining the strip in looped condition: on the drum, means for the releasing means and through the loops of the tape so that the loop forming portions of .the tape after cutting of the web and tape extend beyond the edges of the cut wrappers to form the extending tabs.

6. An apparatus for making wrappers havin an opening tape and an extending opening tab, comprising means for feeding tape material against a rotary drum having an opening therein, means for engaging the tape and forcing the tape a predetermined distance into the opening in the drum to form a loop in the tape, means for engaging the tape and holding the tape in said looped condition, means for fastening the tape to a web of wrapping material while so held in said looped condition, means for slitting the wrapper longitudinally on both sides of the tape at predetermined intervals, and cutting means for severing the web and tape transversely at an edge of a loop adjacent the slits so that the loop forming portion of the tape thereafter extends beyond an edge of the wrapper.

7. The method of making a wrapper-having an opening tape and a projecting tab, which contance on each side of the tape, and then cutting the wrapper and tape transversely at a juncture of'aloop..

8. An apparatus for making a wrapper having an opening strip attached thereto with a portion of .the strip extending beyond an edge of the Wrapper toprovide an opening tab, comprising means for feeding a web of wrapping material and a web of strip material, means forming spaced loops in the strip, means for adhering the strip between the loops formed therein to the web of wrapping material with the loops free from the surface of the web of the wrapping material, and means for cutting said webs at spaced points along lines extending through each loop of the web of the strip material, so that the loop form, ing portions of the cut strips thereafter extend beyond the edges of the cutwrappers to provide the opening tabs.

9. An apparatus for making wrappers having an opening strip forming an extending tab, comprising a rotary-drum, means for feeding the strip onto said drum, means operatively associ-- ated with the drum and synchronized with the rotation of the drum for forming loops in the feeding a web of wrapping material onto the drum in superimposed relation to the strip, means for adhering the portions of the strip between the loops to the web of wrapping material, means for thereafter releasing said maintaining means, and means for severing the strip and web along spaced linesv extending through the loops in the strip so that portions of the strip forming the loops there after extend beyond the edges of the cut wrappers to provide the extending tabs.

11. An apparatus for making wrappers having an opening strip forming an extending opening tab, comprising means for feeding strip material against a rotary drum having an opening therein,

means for engaging the strip and forcing a por-. 7

tion of the strip into the opening in the drum to form a loop in the strip, means for engaging the strip and holding the strip in said looped condition on the drum, means for fastening the strip toa web of wrapping material on opposite sides of the looped portion of the strip and with the loop extending outwardly from the surface of the web, and means for cutting the wrapper and strip through the loop-in the strip and adjacent an end of the loop so that the loop forming portion of the strip thereafter extends beyond an edge of the cut-wrapper.

12. The method of making a wrapper having an opening strip, which consists in forming a plurality of longitudinally spaced loops in a length of strip material, fastening the strip ma-' terial between the loops to a surface of a web of wrapping material with the loop portions of the strip extending outwardly from such surface and.

free of the wrapping material, and then cutting the web of wrapping material and strip along spaced lines extending through the loops so that the" loop forming portion of each cut strip ex-'- tends beyond an edge of the cut wrapper to whic the strip is fastened.

13. The method of making a wrapper having an opening strip forming an extending tab, which consists in forming a loop in an opening strip,

superimposing the strip on a sheet of wrapping I material with the looped portion of the strip free extending through the the drum rotates,

'gularly spacedstrip to hold said material and wrapping material into superimposed contacting relation, forming spaced apart loops in the strip material prior to its contact with the wrapping material, applying adhesive to the strip between the loop forming portions thereof prior to its contact with the wrapping material, applying heat and pressure to the wrapping material and strip when in contacting relation to adhesively join the portions of the strip between the loops to rial, and finally cutting both webs along lines loops so-that the loop forming portions of the strip thereafter extend beyond edges of the cut wrappers.

15. An apparatus for making wrappers each having an opening strip forming an extending opening tab, comprising means for feeding strip material against a rotary drum having an outwardly opening pocket, means for engaging the strip and forcing the strip into the pocket of the drumto form spaced loops in the strip as a shiftable member having a portion operable in the pocket of the drum to engage each looped portion of the strip and hold said loop while the drum rotates, means for feeding a web of wrapping material into superimposed relation to the strip material on the drum, means for fastening the web of wrapping material and the strip between the looped portions of the strip, means for operating said shiftable member to thereafter release the strip, and means for thereafter severing the web of wrapping material and the strip transversely along spaced lines extending through the loops so that the loop forming portions of the cut strips extend beyond edges of the cut wrappers to which the cut strips are fastened.

16. An apparatus for making wrappers having an opening strip forming an extending opening tab, comprising means for continuously feeding strip material against a rotary drum having anoutwardly opemng pockets extending inwardly from the circumference of the drum, means operatively associated with the drum and engaging the strip for forcing the strip into the spaced pockets of the drum to form longitudinally spaced loops in the strip, a pin in each of said pockets and shiftable axially of said drum into engagement with the looped portions of the loops in the pockets of the arm as the drum rotates, means for applying adhesive to the strip between said looped portions, means for feeding a web of wrapping material into superimposed relation with the tape beyond the adhesive applying means so that the web of wrapping material contacts the strip between the looped portions thereof, means for thereafter shifting said pins to release the looped portions of the strip, and means for subsequently severing the web of wrapping material and the strip along lines extending through the looped portions of the strip so portion of each cut strip extends beyond an edge of the cut wrapper to which the strip is adhesively joined.

1'1. An apparatus for making a wrapper having an opening element attached thereto with a portion of the element extending beyond an edge of the wrapper to provide an opening piece, comprising means for feeding a length of wrapping material and a web of opening element material, means for forming open loops in the length of opening element material, means for adhering the said length of opening element material between the ends of the open loops to the web of wrapthe web of wrapping mateping material, and means for cutting the length of opening element material and the web of wrapping material through each loop so that the open loop forming portions of the opening element material extend beyond edges'of the cut wrappers to form the opening pieces.

18. An apparatus for making a wrapper having an opening strip attached thereto with a portion ofthe strip extending beyond an edge of the wrapper to provide' an opening tab, said apparatus comprising means for feeding a web of wrapping material and a web of strip material, means for forming open loops in the strip spaced longitudinally of the strip, means for adhering the strip between the ends of the open loops formed therein to a surface of the web of wrapping material with the loop forming portions of the strip free of the web of wrapping material and extending away from the same surface of said web of wrapping material, and means for cutting said web of wrapping material and said web of strip material along lines extending through each loop of the web of strip material, so that the loop forming portions of the cut strips thereafter extend beyond the edges of the cut wrappers to provide the opening tabs.

19. An apparatus for making wrappers having an opening strip forming an extending tab, comprising a rotary drum, means for feeding a strip on said drum, means operatively associated with the drum and synchronized with the rotation of the drum for forming an outwardly opening loop in the strip on the drum, means for maintaining the strip in looped condition on the drum, means for feeding a wrapper onto the drum in superimposed relation to the strip, means for adhering the portions of the strip on opposite sides of the open loop to the wrapper, and means for severing the strip and wrapper along a line extending through the loop in the strip, so that the loop forming portion of the strip thereafter 7 extends beyond an edge of the cut wrapper to that the loop forming provide the extending tab.

20. An apparatus for making a wrapper having an elongated opening element attached thereto with a portion of the element extending beyond an edge of the wrapper to provide an opening piece, comprising means for feeding the wrapper and the opening element, means for forming an open loop in the opening element, means for adhering the opening element on opposite sides of the open loop formed therein to'a surface of the wrapper with the loop free of said wrapper and extending away from said surface, and means for cutting said wrapper and opening element along a line extending through the loop formed in the opening element, so that the loop forming portion of the opening element thereafter extends beyond an edge of the cut wrapper to provide the opening piece.

21. The method of making a wrapper having an opening element with a' portion extending beyond an edge of the wrapper to provide an opening piece, which consists in forming an open loop in a length of flexible material, superimposing the length of flexible material and a sheet of wrapping material with the loop portion of the flexible material free of the wrapper and extending away from the juxtaposed surface of the wrappingmaterial, fastening the length of flexible material to the wrapping material on opposite sides of the looped portion, and cutting the opening strips with portions of the strips extending beyond edges of the wrappers to provide opening tabs, which consists in forming a plu-- rality of longitudinally spaced open loops in a length of strip material, fastening the strip material between the ends of the open loops to a surface of a web of wrapping material with the l0 loop forming portions of the strip extending away from said surface and free of the wrapping ma terial, and cutting the web of wrapping material and strip along spaced lines extending through the loops, so that the loop forming portions of the cut strips extend beyond edges ofv the cut wrappers to form the opening tabs.

IIIICHAEL J. lflIMOE. ELIHER D. SRAMEK. 

